Sefton’s councillors will tonight (Thursday) look to approve a raft of cost-cutting savings as they try to plug a £55m gap in the authority’s budget.

At Bootle Town Hall some of the proposals up for debate range from an increase in car parking pay and display charges, a rise in the cost of burials and cremations, day centres being closed and play equipment not being replaced in parks.

Council tax bills and the cost of school meals also look set to be increased and there could be charges introduced to public toilets across the borough.

The cash-strapped council is also looking to save cash by stopping sand dune management and restoration, especially in Crosby and Hightown – and there could cease to be any lifeguards on Southport beach, with bathers instead encouraged to use Ainsdale.

Sefton’s libraries will also take a hit with reduced opening hours – alongside plans to save more cash by turning off street lighting. Under the plans more than 188 jobs are at risk – with street cleaning services looking set to lose 20 positions and 10 staff members earmarked for redundancy from The Atkinson.

Sefton Council’s Labour leader, Cllr Peter Dowd, said that the budget for the past two years has been a process and not an event.

He said: “We have had £150m in cuts in the past five years, with another £55m to go – £50m of savings have now been set out with another £5m to find next year. It has been a clear, rolling and incremental process.

"The £50m we have found, we have tried to be as fair as we can in the difficult circumstances, because of the amount of money the coalition have cut from us – the responsibility of the cuts lies with the coalition government.”

Lib Dem leader Iain Brodie Browne said that in many different ways this budget is “bad” for Southport. He said: “We oppose Labour’s plans on cutting the Botanic Gardens, hitting motorists, visitors and shoppers by increasing parking charges and running down Southport.

“The council has cut a lot of jobs in recent years, but not at the top. Councillors should look to themselves for further savings, rather than always cutting the services that the public need and value.

“Other local councils such as Knowsley are saving money by cutting the number of councillors. Why isn’t Sefton? The idea of a one third cut in the number of councillors, from 66 to 44, was first put forward by the Lib Dems over four years ago.”

Conservative leader Terry Jones said his party understand the council have had to make tough decisions. He said: “During these hard times we can not agree on any increase in council tax on the already hard pushed tax payers.

“There are many items we can not agree with and believe savings can be made from within without touching key services. We must remember the tax payer deserves a quality service that they pay for and deserve.”

Follow the live debate on our dedicated blog from 6.30pm tonight, March 5.